Greetings everyone,
I was wondering recently about "active oxygen", "chlorine free" pool & spa treatment products that are mostly sold by european brands.
Examples:
Soft & Easy by Bayrol (Germany)
Product page says:
Soft & Easy is the chlorine free alternative for water disinfection. The combination of granules based on active oxygen and algaecide results in a unique synergy effect, thus ensuring reliable pool water disinfection and prevention of algae growth. In addition, Soft & Easy contains a clarifier for enhanced sparkling water.
...
One pre-measured double sachet treats the water for one week and thus makes dosing very simple.
Looking at the contents (safety data sheet on that page), one half of double sachet is purely "Pentapotassium-bis(peroxymonosulphate)-bis(sulphate)" (MPS), another is
The latter 2 seem to be algaecides, as the same substances are found in their own algaecide product Desalgine Jet - only proportions are reversed.
They also have a solution for spa
Active oxygen granules by Bayrol
For gentle chlorine-free water disinfection
Active oxygen granules will disinfect your spa water gently. This totally chlorine-free treatment method creates a more natural and pleasant water quality. To increase the efficacy, SpaTime active oxygen activator must be used along with active oxygen granules.
Contains: 100 g of the product contains 100 g Pentapotassium bis(peroxymonosulphate) bis(sulphate) (MPS)
Active oxygen activator
To enhance the efficacy of active oxygen granules
Active oxygen activator enhances the efficacy of the active oxygen granules and disinfecting action. The activator only reaches optimal efficacy when used together with active oxygen granules.
Liquid algaecide concentrate
Contains: 100 g of the product contains 22,5 g Polymer of N-Methylmethanamine with (chloro methyl)oxirane
Another company is HTH (Arch Chemicals, bought by Lonza) from France
(warning - use google translate from French)
HTH Easy'ox 4 in 1 (NEW) - double sachets -
For double sachets (translated by google!):
Water soluble sachet 1: active oxygen
TO BE USED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE ACTIVATOR BAG, ANTIBACTERIAL, CLARIFIER
• Compatible with all filtration equipment • Flocculant action • Packaging in pre-dosed individual bag • Anti-limescale action (sequestration) • Product "without active chlorine" therefore without production of annoying derivatives (chloramines, stabilizer) • Totally free of isocyanuric acid (stabilizer) • High content of active ingredient • Compatible (in solution) with chlorinated, brominated, oxygenated products • Effective regardless of the pH of the treated water • Water-soluble 200 gram sachet with rapid dissolution, no residue • Anti-bacterial • Powerful oxidizer • Suitable for all waters, even very hard
Contains: bis (peroxymonosulfate) bis (sulphate) pentapotassium (> 800 g / kg) and copper sulphate (10 g / kg)
Water soluble sachet 2: activator
TO USE IN ASSOCIATION WITH ACTIVE OXYGEN BAG, ANTI-ALGAE, PH STABILIZER
• Compatible with any filtration equipment • Packaging in pre-dosed individual sachet • Does not modify the pH of the water • Compatible (in solution) with the chlorinated, brominated, oxygenated products • Effective whatever the pH of treated water • Pronounced clarifying effect • Recommended in combination with oxidants (synergy) • Suitable for water very agitated swimming pool • Very high average active ingredient content • Non-foaming at recommended dosages • Stabilizes the pH • Suitable for all water, even very hard water • 134 gram water soluble sachet fast, no residue
Contains: polymerized quaternary ammonium chloride (> 150 g / kg)
HTH has similar products for spa (MPS + algaecide) where it states synergy effects for algaecide with "active oxygen" (MPS).
The question
I've seen posts by chem geek where he explains that MPS is an oxidizer and is a weak disinfectant. However, these companies sell MPS + algaecide and make disinfection claims in EU. They explicitly state that MPS should be used with algaecide to make it work and it wouldn't work without algaecide. Both companies mention "unique synergy effect". I haven't found any research supporting these claims, although I'm not a chemist.
I was wondering if these companies are just selling oxidizer + algaecide and no real disinfection (and thus LYING to customers in their claims) or there's something behind their "synergy" claims. I'm posting it here and hope someone can share additional information on it. If that's true, it might be an easy chlorine-compatible alternative to other water maintenance methods.
Just a note: I know that MPS is a weak disinfectant and EPA requirements, but chem geek in some post stated that EPA's requirements are too strict and 2-log reduction in 2 min (instead of 6-log in 30 sec required by EPA for E. coli) is enough for residual pools, so even if this combination wouldn't pass EPA test, maybe it's safe enough for residual use?
I was wondering recently about "active oxygen", "chlorine free" pool & spa treatment products that are mostly sold by european brands.
Examples:
Soft & Easy by Bayrol (Germany)
Product page says:
Soft & Easy is the chlorine free alternative for water disinfection. The combination of granules based on active oxygen and algaecide results in a unique synergy effect, thus ensuring reliable pool water disinfection and prevention of algae growth. In addition, Soft & Easy contains a clarifier for enhanced sparkling water.
...
One pre-measured double sachet treats the water for one week and thus makes dosing very simple.
Looking at the contents (safety data sheet on that page), one half of double sachet is purely "Pentapotassium-bis(peroxymonosulphate)-bis(sulphate)" (MPS), another is
- sodium carbonate > 50% (pH plus)
- Aluminum sulfate 14 - hydrate < 10% (flocculant or clarifier)
- Polymer of N-Methylmethanamine with (chloro methyl)oxirane - 6%
- 2-propen-1-aminium, N,N-dimethyl-N-2- propenyl-, chloride, homopolymer < 25%
The latter 2 seem to be algaecides, as the same substances are found in their own algaecide product Desalgine Jet - only proportions are reversed.
They also have a solution for spa
Active oxygen granules by Bayrol
For gentle chlorine-free water disinfection
Active oxygen granules will disinfect your spa water gently. This totally chlorine-free treatment method creates a more natural and pleasant water quality. To increase the efficacy, SpaTime active oxygen activator must be used along with active oxygen granules.
Contains: 100 g of the product contains 100 g Pentapotassium bis(peroxymonosulphate) bis(sulphate) (MPS)
Active oxygen activator
To enhance the efficacy of active oxygen granules
Active oxygen activator enhances the efficacy of the active oxygen granules and disinfecting action. The activator only reaches optimal efficacy when used together with active oxygen granules.
Liquid algaecide concentrate
Contains: 100 g of the product contains 22,5 g Polymer of N-Methylmethanamine with (chloro methyl)oxirane
Another company is HTH (Arch Chemicals, bought by Lonza) from France
(warning - use google translate from French)
HTH Easy'ox 4 in 1 (NEW) - double sachets -
For double sachets (translated by google!):
Water soluble sachet 1: active oxygen
TO BE USED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE ACTIVATOR BAG, ANTIBACTERIAL, CLARIFIER
• Compatible with all filtration equipment • Flocculant action • Packaging in pre-dosed individual bag • Anti-limescale action (sequestration) • Product "without active chlorine" therefore without production of annoying derivatives (chloramines, stabilizer) • Totally free of isocyanuric acid (stabilizer) • High content of active ingredient • Compatible (in solution) with chlorinated, brominated, oxygenated products • Effective regardless of the pH of the treated water • Water-soluble 200 gram sachet with rapid dissolution, no residue • Anti-bacterial • Powerful oxidizer • Suitable for all waters, even very hard
Contains: bis (peroxymonosulfate) bis (sulphate) pentapotassium (> 800 g / kg) and copper sulphate (10 g / kg)
Water soluble sachet 2: activator
TO USE IN ASSOCIATION WITH ACTIVE OXYGEN BAG, ANTI-ALGAE, PH STABILIZER
• Compatible with any filtration equipment • Packaging in pre-dosed individual sachet • Does not modify the pH of the water • Compatible (in solution) with the chlorinated, brominated, oxygenated products • Effective whatever the pH of treated water • Pronounced clarifying effect • Recommended in combination with oxidants (synergy) • Suitable for water very agitated swimming pool • Very high average active ingredient content • Non-foaming at recommended dosages • Stabilizes the pH • Suitable for all water, even very hard water • 134 gram water soluble sachet fast, no residue
Contains: polymerized quaternary ammonium chloride (> 150 g / kg)
HTH has similar products for spa (MPS + algaecide) where it states synergy effects for algaecide with "active oxygen" (MPS).
The question
I've seen posts by chem geek where he explains that MPS is an oxidizer and is a weak disinfectant. However, these companies sell MPS + algaecide and make disinfection claims in EU. They explicitly state that MPS should be used with algaecide to make it work and it wouldn't work without algaecide. Both companies mention "unique synergy effect". I haven't found any research supporting these claims, although I'm not a chemist.
I was wondering if these companies are just selling oxidizer + algaecide and no real disinfection (and thus LYING to customers in their claims) or there's something behind their "synergy" claims. I'm posting it here and hope someone can share additional information on it. If that's true, it might be an easy chlorine-compatible alternative to other water maintenance methods.
Just a note: I know that MPS is a weak disinfectant and EPA requirements, but chem geek in some post stated that EPA's requirements are too strict and 2-log reduction in 2 min (instead of 6-log in 30 sec required by EPA for E. coli) is enough for residual pools, so even if this combination wouldn't pass EPA test, maybe it's safe enough for residual use?